New Bedford, MA, USA – August 31, 2023 – Fiber Optic Center, Inc., (FOC), an international leading distributor specializing in helping their customers make the best cable assemblies in the world, announces participation at ECOC, October 1-5, 2023, Glasgow, Scotland.
The European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC) is the largest European Exhibition for Fiber Optic Communication Technology. The event brings together leading organizations within the fiber optic community to share the latest news and developments and showcase the latest innovative products in the field.
Fiber Optic Center’s technical experts and product specialists will be available to discuss their best practices and solutions.
Click here to schedule a one-on-one discussion with one of our Technical Experts; or email Kathleen Skelton at kskelton@focenter.com.
Fiber Optic Center, Stand 504, will host One-On-One Technical Discussions with their leading experts October 2-4, 2023
Optical Fiber Coatings Explained: One-On-One Technical Discussion
Meetings held with Fiber Optic Center Technical Team
An overview of coatings for a wide range of standard communication and specialty optical fibers. The main job of coatings is to protect the glass fiber, but there are many intricacies to this objective. Coating materials are carefully formulated and tested to optimize this protective role as well as the glass fiber performance.
Discussion topics include:
- Coating dimensions
- Tensile strength
- Coating characteristics and specialty fibers
Testing Tips: One-on-One Technical Discussion
Meetings held with Fiber Optic Center Technical Team
The technical team combines their field experience to demonstrate and discuss how to enhance process, results, and fiber optic cable assemblies.
Discussion topics include:
- Determining cause of high loss
- The misunderstanding about Negative IL values
- Protecting the detector
- Test Lead quality steps
- Why we cannot stress enough the cleaning before the test
Cables and Connectivity: One-on-One Technical Discussion
Meetings held with Fiber Optic Center Technical Team
Optical fiber and cable are the key building blocks of the passive plant. Proper construction of the physical layer provides a good foundation for the information highway.
Discussion topics include:
- Transmission standards scaling up from 622 Mbps to 50 Gbps in 25 years
- All ITU and IEEE PON network standards structured to use the passive plant of previous generations and provide stable performance to support future generations of transmission technology
- How to:
- Know the cable standards and specifications
- Know the requirements of your installation and environment
- Take advantage of latest “easy-to-use” connectors and splice products
- Understand their performance factors
- Know how to troubleshoot
Rare Earth Doped Fibers: One-on-One Technical Discussion
Meetings held with Fiber Optic Center Technical Team
The most common processes used to make rare earth doped fibers are the Rod and Tube method, the Solution Doping Process and the Vapor Phase Process. The latter two are used most commonly in conjunction with the MCVD process which will be discussed.
Focus on:
- Solution Doping
- Vapor Phase Doping
- Rare Earth Chelates
- Rare Earth Halides
Minimizing Allergic Reactions When Handling Epoxies: One-on-One Technical Discussion
Meetings held with Kelly Barker
Almost all epoxies used in the fiber optic industry are two-part epoxy systems consisting of a resin and a hardener or activator. All the chemicals in these two-part epoxies can cause an allergic reaction, but the component most commonly causing an allergic reaction is the resin. Epoxy resin is the third most frequent cause of occupational allergic dermatitis, or in other simple words, allergic skin reactions.
Discussion topics include:
- When adverse reactions increase and how to minimize
- Differences between the two types of Contact Dermatitis: irritant and allergic
- Step by steps to reduce the risk of either type of dermatitis: preparation and protection
Fiber Optic Cable Splicing Explained: One-on-One Technical Discussion
Meetings held with Marcel Buijs
Full view of both mechanical and fusion methods of splicing and impacts on lowering insertion loss compared to fiber connectors.
Discussion topics include:
- Splicing types
- Benefits and applications for cable assembly houses
- Field installations and severed buried cable solutions
Controlling the Optical Fiber Preform Deposition Process: One-on-One Technical Discussion
Meetings held with Fiber Optic Center Technical Team
The lathe, rotary seal, optical pyrometer, deposition burner, and diameter control system all must work together to successfully manufacture a preform. This discussion will offer recommendations including setting up commissioning, operating, and maintaining multiple MCVD gas delivery systems.
Discussion topics include:
- Tips to better control preform collapse.
- Ideas to improve pressure control and diameter control
- Lathe deposition burner and pyrometer combinations
Best Practices to Validate Epoxy Curing Schedules: One-on-One Technical Discussion
Meetings held with Dan Rocheleau and Kelly Barker
Discussion on controls of the bonding process including epoxy mixing, application, curing, and testing.
Discussion topics include:
- Best practices to validate your curing schedule including the starting point, characterizing the oven ports
- Best practices for epoxy preparation and dispensing
Installation and Cleanliness: It Counts: One-on-One Technical Discussion
Meetings held with Fiber Optic Center Technical Team
The most common questions we receive include what is causing our poor IL/RL, how can we ensure clean fiber connections and do you have specific cleaning techniques during fiber optic cable assembly manufacturing and installation? This discussion is based on the answers and guidance we provide daily!
Discussion topics include:
- How to verify connector end-faces that meet or exceed industry standards on end-face cleanliness (IEC 61300-3-35)
- How to identify the number of ways in which the end-face can (and do) become contaminated
Lapping Film samples will be available at Fiber Optic Center’s Stand 504, including Diamond, Aluminum Oxide, Silicon Carbide, Flock Pile and Final Films.
Epoxy samples can be requested for direct shipping during or after the show at Fiber Optic Center’s Stand 504. Application needs will be considered when consulting options for epoxy sample types, including but not limited to:
- OP-83-LS: UV/Vis or LED, low shrinkage, viscosity stable, resists 85°C heat and 85°C humidity for 1000 hours, meets ASTM E595 Outgassing requirements.
- OP-81-LS: a UV & heat cure adhesive for active alignment, new applications, lens bonding and precision.
- OP-29: a resilient multi-purpose, flexible, UV cure adhesive for lens bonding and gap filling, resists yellowing.
- TB302-50ML: a fast room temperature cure for potting and encapsulating electrical and electronic components and for potting fiber optic cables.
- AB9112-2.5G: a room temp or heat cure epoxy for fiber optic termination, US Navy and Mil Spec approved.
- AB9123-2.5G: a low viscosity, high Tg, rapid heat cure epoxy for fiber optic termination
- AB9110LV-2.5G: a low viscosity, low stress, crystal clear epoxy for PM and POF fiber bonding and cryogenic applications.
- AB9320-2.5G: a low stress, heat cure epoxy designed for terminating multimode and single mode fibers.
Product and Process Demonstrations are held daily during ECOC
Technical Process & Product Demonstrations:
- Cable Prep
- Epoxy Steps and Considerations
- Crimp
- Cleave
- Lapping Film Options (Field and Floor)
- Polish
- Test
